There have been many different kinds and types of fishing devices, which enable the location of a fishing line to be controlled, whether the fisherperson is standing on the bank of a moving stream, or seated in a slow moving boat. For example, reference may be made to the following U.S. Pat. Nos. 1,227,300; 1,466,601; 2,798,331; 2,920,414; 3,067,539; 3,181,266; 3,318,638; 4,138,793; 4,464,858; 4,524,538; 4,745,202; and 4,763,437.
While such prior known devices have been successful in some applications it has been difficult, if not impossible, to provide a device that will allow a fisherperson to easily and quickly attach a water kite device to a fishing line so that the device maintains a high degree of stability as it travels through the water and also positively releases the fishing line when a fish strikes a baited lyre attached to the line.
Several attempts have been made to overcome the aforementioned problems. For example, in U.S. Pat. No. 4,524,538 there is disclosed a water kite including a generally flat, elongated float member having a front end general tapered from one side to the other and rearwardly, and having a weight on one side edge to cause it to be heavier than the other. A mounting bracket disposed on one side of the float member projects perpendicularly outwardly therefrom for supporting a line engaging device of the type that squeezes the line between a stationary member and an eccentric rotable member having a spring which is pivoted over center when the fishing line is engaged. A trip lever engaging the rotable device is provided so that when a fish strikes the baited end of the line, the lever rotates the device and releases the line from the device.
While this attempted solution allows the fishing line to be attached to the water kite, the device has proven to be less than totally satisfactory, in that it has caused other problems. More particularly, the line engaging device is spring loaded and relatively complex and difficult to use. For example, a fisherperson must use both hands to set the tripping mechanism by looping the line under its engaging arm and then against a retaining tab while simultaneously rotating the device into a locking engagement position. Such a manipulation is difficult and requires precise coordination of the fisherpersons fingers and hands.
Moreover, because of the device's small hooking and retaining surfaces the fisherperson must use his or her finger tips to accomplish the loading technique. Such manipulation would therefore become extremely difficult if the fingers of the fisherperson were wet and cold. Also, because of the intricate and complex method of setting the line on the device, the fisherperson's fingers could easily slip as the lever mechanism is being rotated into locking position resulting in the lever striking and cutting the fisherperson's fingers.
Another problem with the device is the amount of force that is required to trip the lever. More particularly, the tripping force is fixed by the biasing force of the mechanism's spring. This force is constant regardless of the type of fish that is being caught and regardless of the drag force created against the device by the speed of a stream or the speed of the boat towing the device. Such an arrangement is less than desirable as smaller fish may not be able to trip the lever. Moreover, if the spring force is to weak, the turbulence of the water may accidentally trip the device necessitating that the fisherperson repeat the complex setting technique.
Therefore it would be highly desirable to have a water kite and method of using it that would enable a fisherperson to easily and quickly attach the fishing line to the device in a quick and highly convenient manner. It would also be highly desirable for the line to be attached to the device so that it could be used to catch a variety of fish regardless of their size.
Another problem associated with the device disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,524,538 is associated with its stability as being towed through the water. For example, the weights associated with the device is not distributed uniformally across the axial length of the device. Moreover, the plate like body of the device is not symmetrical. Finally, the fishing line attached to the device is only attached fixedly at two points. Such an arrangement does not allow the device to travel through the water in a smooth stable manner, thus, it may accidentally trip the lever mechanism or become entangled accidentally with another device that may be used by the fisherperson in the same general area.
Therefore it would be highly desirable to have a new and improved water kite and method of using it that it would be highly stable as it travels through the water so that its path of travel is relatively fixed with relation to the trolling boat.
Another problem which faces the devices of the prior art is that they are relatively complex in structure and do not readily lend themselves to providing the fisherperson with an easy and convenient method of controlling the angular placement of the water kite in the water relative to the trolling boat or fisherperson so that multiple lines may be utilized by the fisherperson from a single location.
Several attempts have been made to overcome the aforementioned control problems so that multiple lines may be set by a single fisherperson with a positive technique for releasing the lines from the device when a fish strikes the baited lure attached to the fishing line.
For example, a water kite having a fixed direction arm as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,524,538 allows only one water kite to be utilized by a fisherperson as the placement angle between a pair of these water kites would be identical, thereby, resulting in the lines between two fishing poles utilized by a fisherperson becoming tangled together.
One attempt to overcome the aforementioned problem is found in U.S. Pat. No. 3,230,660 where there is disclosed a water kite having a float member that has a bracket which projects laterally outwardly therefore. A floating support pivotally attached to the bracket. A positioner is pivotally connected to the support arm and includes a plurality of notches that are engagable by a pin disposed on the float member to allow the support arm to be angularly positioned relative to the float member.
While this attempt allows the fisherperson to select various trajectories by adjusting the continuously adjustable arm its use is limited to two or possibly three devices because of the small differences in the angular placement settings; i.e., the arm is limited to an angular displacement of approximately 30 degrees.
Therefore it would be highly desirable to have a new and improved water kite and method of using it that would enable a fisherperson to set multiple lines in close proximity to one another without the danger of line entanglement.